Apparatus for the underwater massage treatment of a patient

ABSTRACT

A patient is supported supine in a bath tub on a flexible, widemeshed support mounted on a carrier frame. A plurality of nozzles for producing jets of liquid are spaced from each other and below the support so that the liquid jets may be impinged upon the patient through openings in the support. Flexible connecting means suspend the nozzles from the support so that the carrier frame, support and nozzles constitute an immersible unit for free movement into and out of the bath tub. Flexible hoses connect the nozzles to a pump stationarily mounted outside the bath tub for delivering bath liquid thereto and to produce the jets of liquid, the hoses being so arranged as to permit the free movement of the immersible unit.

United States Patent [1 1 Gabmeier Apr.- 29, 1975 1 APPARATUS FOR THEUNDERWATER 3.636.944 1/1972 Bryant 128/66 x MASSAGE TREATMENT OF APATIENT [76] Inventor: Kurt Gabmeier, Andreas Pnmm'y E'wmmerliawrenceTrapp Hoferstrasse 2 4/2/3/|0 A l2lO Attorney, Agent. or Firm-KurtKelman Vienna. Austria 221 Filed: Apr. 15, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT App]. No.:460,683

A patient is supported supine in a bath tub on a flexible, wide-meshedsupport mounted on a carrier frame. A plurality of nozzles for producingjets of liquid are spaced from each other and below the support so thatthe liquid jets may be impinged upon the patient through openings in thesupport. Flexible connecting means suspend the nozzles from the supportso that the carrier frame. support and nozzles constitute an immersibleunit for free movement into and out of the bath tub. Flexible hosesconnect the nozzles to a pump stationarily mounted outside the bath tubfor delivering bath liquid thereto and to produce the jets of liquid.the hoses being so arranged as to permit the free movement of theimmersible unit.

9 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEU APR 2 9 I975 SHEET 2 OF 3 o 0 00 G03 Q G o e v Q 00 oaooooonro 0o e ee PATENTEDAPRZS I975 SHEET 3 OF 3 w uwunm APPARATUS FOR THE UNDERWATER MASSAGE TREATMENT OF A PATIENT Thepresent invention relates to improvements in an apparatus for a massagetreatment of a patient immersed in bath liquid.

in known apparatus of this type, a support for the patient is mounted ina bath tub containing the bath liquid, and a plurality of nozzles forproducing jets of liquid are arranged in the bath liquid spaced fromeach other and below the support, the jets being impinged upon thepatient through openings in the support. The nozzles are connected to apumping means for circulating the bath liquid and control valve meansare arranged between the nozzles and the pumping means to control theflow of the liquid to the nozzles.

In one such known apparatus. the support comprises a plate enabling apatient to sit or lie thereon and having a plurality of openings orpassages therein corre sponding to the number of nozzles, the nozzlesbeing arrayed in a grid whereon the support plate rests and the nozzlearray being supported on a system of liquid supply pipes resting on thebottom of tha bath tub. The nozzles are arranged in an array of rowswithout taking into account the anatomic structure of the human body andare connected to rigid pipes so as to point upwardly. The support plateis arranged in the tub near its bottom so that an ill patient may havedifficulty immersing in the bath liquid, particularly when his abilityto move is limited. Since the nozzles are fixedly arranged, they cannotbe oriented in respect of the patient. Furthermore. since the patientresting on the sup port plate necessarily blocks a number of theopenings therein, only a point-shaped jet will reach the body of thepatient at those locations. Specialists in physical medicine considerthis as a bubble bath not suitable for providing an underwater massagetreatment.

It has also be proposed to replace the rigid support plate in the bathtub with a hanging mat which is first supported on the upper edges ofthe tub to permit the patient to be placed on the mat, whereupon the matis lowered a little into the tub. While the flexible support increasesthe patients comfort, this arrangement fails to increase the massageeffect because the patient is so far removed from the nozzles at thebottom of the tub as to make massage by water jets impossible, the onlyeffect again being comparable to no more than a bubble bath. Since noapparatus is known to produce an effective underwater massage, the usualprocedure is the manual massage ofa patient in a bath tub with a singlejet handled by a trained physical therapist. Of course, theeffectiveness of this treatment depends entirely on the skill of thetherapist. For instance. the therapist can sometimes only estimate thedistance of the manually held nozzle from the body of the patientimmersed in a liquid, for instance if the bath liquid is an opaqueiodine or sulfur bath. Furthermore, the jet massage can proceed onlyfrom point to point so that the total treatment time for a certain partof the body, say an arm or a leg, is actually reduced to a fractionthereof since only one point at a time is actually treated, Otherimportant treatment factors which include entirely on the individualtherapist include the distance of the nozzle from each treated bodypoint, which determines the power of the massage, and the speed withwhich the nozzle is moved along the body. Control of all these factorsis often made particularly difficult because the therapist must workwith a mask to protect him or her from noxious vapors emanating fromiodine for sulfur baths, for instance. Even with the use of protectivemasks, therapists often get sick.

It is the primary object of this invention to overcome the disadvantagesof known bubble bath apparatus or manual underwater massage and toenable a patient to be placed in a relaxed position on a flexiblesupport outside the bath tub where he may be properly oriented inrespect of the jet nozzles, whereupon the fully prepared patient maybeimmersed with the nozzles in the bath liquid for the desired underwatermassage.

The above and other objects are accomplished in accordance with theinvention with a carrier frame freely movable into and out of the bathtub and a flexible, wide-meshed support for the patient mounted on thecarrier frame. A plurality of nozzles for producing jets of liquid arespaced from each other and below the support, the jets being impingedupon the patient through openings in the support. Flexible connectingmeans suspend the nozzles from the support so that the carrier frame,support and nozzles constitute an immersible unit for free movement intoand out of the bath tub. A pumping means circulates the bath liquid fromthe bath tub to the nozzles, the pumping means being stationarilymounted outside the bath tub and flexible hoses connect respective onesof the nozzles to the pumping means for delivering the bath liquidthereto and to produce the jets of liquid. The flexible hoses arearranged to permit the free movement of the immersible unit and controlvalves are arranged between the nozzles and the pumping means to controlthe flow of the liquid to the nozzles.

According to one preferred feature of the present invention, groups ofthe nozzles are arranged for the massage treatment of separate bodyparts of the patient to be treated by said groups, a distributing mainfor each group being connected to the control valve and pumping means,and a corresponding group of branch hoses connecting each main to arespective group of nozzles. In this way, the jet pressure for eachgroup may be regulated separately so that a different massage may beapplied to separate body parts, such as one of the arms and/or thighs,while all parts are massaged simultaneously.

To enable the patient to be fully relaxed on the flexible support sothat each part of his body, such as the head, the torso, the thighs andthe lower leg, may rest naturally, the flexible support is sub-dividedinto a plurality of elongated portions forming an integral supportsurface for the patient. Each elongated portion corresponds to a bodypart of the patient for the support thereof, and the carrier framecomprises a pair of elongated beams. A plurality of pairs of carrierelements are pivoted to a respective ones of the carrier frame beams andeach pair of carrier elements mounts a respective one of the elongatedbeams A plurality of pairs of carrier elements are pivoted to arespective ones of the carrier frame beams and each pair of carrierelements mounts a respective one of the elongated support portions forangular adjustment of the support portions in respect of each other.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the presentinvention will be more fully understood from the following detaileddescription of certain now preferred embodiments thereof, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. I is a verticalsection of an embodiment of the apparatus showing a patient (inchain-dotted lines) in position for treatment;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 schematically indicate the valve positions for the variousgroups of nozzles;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view illustrating the carrier frame and its carrierelements and hangers for the flexible support on which the patientrests;

FIG. 6 shows three possible adjustments of the support,

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of means forsuspending the nozzles;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an end view, partly in section. of one nozzle group associatedwith a hanger for the support;

FIG. 10 schematically illustrates the pumping and valve means, with theflexible hoses for connection to the nozzles;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a modified cross bar for a hanger; and

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of one embodiment of attachment means betweenthe hangers and the flexible support.

Referring now to the drawing and first to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is showna bath tub I suitably dimensioned to accommodate a patient issubstantially prone position. The bath tub may contain any type ofdesired bath liquid. such as an iodine or sulfur bath. and carrier frame2 is freely movable into and out of the bath tub in a manner to bedescribed hereinafter. the carrier frame being made of a materialresistive to corrosion by the bath liquid.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, carrier frame 2 comprises a pair ofelongated beams and a plurality of pairs of carrier elements 4 pivotedat 3 to a respective one of the carrier frame beams, two such pairs ofcarrier elements being shown in the illustrated embodiment. The carrierelements are levers pivotal in substantially vertical planes extendingparallel to the elongated carrier frame beams inside the carrier frame,pivots 3 extending perpendicularly to the vertical planes and mountingthe levers on the elongated beams intermediate their ends. In apreferred embodiment. the arms of levers 4 are of unequal lengths.

Hangers 6 are freely pivotally mounted on each of the lever ends forswinging about their pivots 5 in substantially vertical planes parallelto, an inwardly spaced from, the planes wherein levers 4 are pivotal.Cross bars 7 interconnect respective pairs of the hangers for commonpendulum movement of each pair of hangers, the length of the cross barscorresponding to the width of flexible, wide-meshed support 8 for thepatient. The flexible support is sub-divided into a plurality ofelongated portions forming an integral support surface for the patient,each elongated support portion corresponding to a body part of thepatient for support thereof. TThe longitudinal edges of the support aredetachably mounted on hangers 6 for longitudinal movement of the supportedges in respect of the hangers, and the hangers keep the flexiblesupport under transverse tension when the longitudinal support edges aremounted on the hangers.

FIG. 12 illustrates a specific embodiment of means for mounting thelongitudinal edges of support 8 on hangers 6, this means comprisingbearings 29 afiixed to the upper edges of the hangers and guide rods 28mounted in the bearings and extending along the longitudinal supportedges. A plurality of connecting members, such as rings 30, are mountedon guide means 28 for free movement therealong, these rings engaging thereinforced longitudinal edges of flexible support 8 for detachablymounting the edges on the hangers under transverse tension, as shown inthe end view of FIG. 9.

The flexible. wide-meshed support is constituted essentially by a netcapable of supporting a patient and made, for instance, of polyestercords or a polyester sheet having a multiplicity of holes. Any othermaterial resistive to the bath liquid may be used for the flexiblesupport.

For comfort, foot rest 9 is mounted on one of the hangers adjacent oneend of the carrier frame (see FIG.

A pair of connecting plates 10 are affixed to the elongated carrierframe beams at one of their ends, for instance by means of illustratedpivot pin 11. The upper ends of the connecting plates may simply be bentover for suspension on the upper edge of the bath tub or, as shown inthe illustrated embodiment, the upper edges of the connecting plates mayhave a bore receiving a clamping screw 12 for detachably mounting oneend of the carrier frame in the bath tub. This carrier frame endsupports the head part of the patients body and its height is adjustedsuitably to hold the head above the bath liquid. The cross beam ofcarrier frame 2 adjacent the foot part of the patient has a pair oflaterally pro jecting support pins 13 for adjustable engagement in slotsdefined by a pair of support plates I4. The lower ends of the supportplates stand freely on the bottom of the bath tub while their upper endsare bent over to engage the upper rim of the tub, being detachablyaffixed thereto by clamping screws I6. A series of vertically spacedslots in the support plates enable the foot end of the carrier frame tobe suitably adjusted in height so as to determine a desired degree ofinclination of the carrier frame.

It is, of course, possible to provide a winch and cable at the ends ofthe carrier frame for lowering and lifting It.

A plurality of nozzles 17 for producing jets of liquid are spaced fromeach other and below the support, the jets being impinged upon thepatient through the mesh openings in support 8. As particularly shown inFIGS. 7 and 8, the flexible connecting means for suspending the nozzlesfrom the support comprises a multi-arrned carrier 18, such as theillustrated cruciform carrier holding each nozzle and attached to thecords of net 8. In this manner, each nozzle will follow any movement ofthe net support without a change in the spacing between the nozzle andthe support.

Another flexible connecting means for suspending nozzles 17 from support8 is shown in FIG. 9 wherein flexible carrier mat 31 defining amultiplicity for openings replaceably receives respective ones ofnozzles 17 in the openings in a selected array. The carrier mat issuspended from flexible support 8 by means of carrier members 18 at adistance therefrom and consists of a corrosion-resistant syntheticresin. The openings are distributed over the entire mat and are designedto receive and hold the nozzles in the selected array. Each nozzlecomprises two parts which are screwed together on assembly, the edges ofeach mat opening being clamped between the two nozzle parts when theyare assembled. The carrier mat automatically moves with the flexiblesupport without changing its distance therefrom.

The plan view of FIG. 2 illustrates one selected array of nozzles by wayof example, the nozzles being arranged in groups for the massagetreatment of separate body parts of the patient to be treated by eachgroup of nozzles. As indicated in the schematic showing of FIG. 3, groupa of nozzles 17 serves to massage the spine, group b for the shoulders,group c for the left arm, and group d for the right arm. Groups e,f, g,h and j are used, respectively, for the massage of the hip, the left andright thighs, and the left and right lower legs of the patient.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, each group of nozzles has a main connectedto the control valve and pumping means, and a corresponding group ofbranch hoses connecting the main to the nozzles of the group. In theembodiment of FIG. 9, main 20 is affixed to cross bar 7, with branchhoses 21 leading from the main to the nozzles. In the embodiment of FIG.II, the cross bar is tubular and sub-divided into liquid distributingchambers 33, branch hoses 21 leading from each chamber to the nozzles. Amain hose 22 connects each main 20 or 33 to a respective control valve23 (see FIG. 10). Pumping means 27 for circulating the bath liquid fromthe bath tub to the nozzles is stationarily mounted outside the tub andcomprises an intake chamber and an output connected to each controlvalve 23 for a respective group of nozzles to control the flow of liquidthereto. Pressure reducing valve 25 is mounted in the connecting conduitbetween the output of the pump and the control valves to adjust theliquid pressure to that desired for the massage treatment, the liquidbeing delivered from the pressure reducing valve to pressure chamber 24whence it flows to control valves 23. A suction intake pipe 26 extendsfrom the bath tub into the intake chamber of the pumping means fordelivering bath liquid thereto. The pump may be a radial flow pump.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, a source of gas 36, for instance anoxygen source, is connected by a second intake conduit 35 to the intakechamber of a pump and c closable check valve 34 is mounted in conduit35. If desired, conduit 35 may open simply to the surrounding atmosphereto deliver air into the intake chamber of the pump when valve 34 isopened so as to produce a gas and bath liquid mixture in the intakechamber for delivery to the massage nozzles 17.

The massage treatment with the above-described apparatus proceeds asfollows:

Carrier frame is vertically adjusted to its uppermost position so thatthe patient may lie down on the flexible support net outside the bathliquid. The levers 4 and hangers 6 are now pivoted until flexiblesupport 8 has assumed a position most comfortable for the patient, suchas indicated in FIG. I, so that the patient reclines fully relaxed onthe support, whereupon pivot pins 5 are affixed to carrier frame 2 sothat the flexible support remains in its adjusted position. It is alsopossible, as shown in FIG. 12, to provide a locking device 32 forlocking lever 4 in the adjusted position.

After the patient has thus been placed on flexible support 8 and thesame has been suitably adjusted, carrier frame 2, support 8 and nozzles17 are immersed as a unit into the bath liquid to the extent required ordesired for the treatment, at least those parts of the body of thepatient which are to be massaged being submerged in the bath liquid.Control valves 23 controlling the flow of liquid to the respectivegroups of nozzles 17 are now operated to circulate the bath liquid fromthe tub to the selected groups of nozzles, the liquid pressure beingsuitable adjusted by valve 25 to produce jets of liquid for the massageof the selected points with the same intensity and thus produce anabsolutely even and controlled massage. It is, of course, also possibleto open all valves 23 so as to produce a strong bubble bath ofconsiderably greater intensity than those produced by apparatusheretofore available. If the bath liquid contains iodine or sulfure, itwill be useful for the patient to wear a gas mask to prevent him frominhaling noxious fumes.

Clearly, the adjustability of the flexible support is considerable, somepositions being indicated on FIG. 6.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for massage treatment of a patient immersed in bathliquid, comprising the combination of l. a bath tub containing the bathliquid,

2. a carrier frame freely movable into and out of the bath tub,

3. a flexible, wide-meshed support for the patient mounted on thecarrier frame,

4. a plurality of nozzles for producing jets of liquid spaced from eachother and below the support,

a. the jets being impinged upon the patient through openings in thesupport,

5. flexible connecting means for suspending the nozzles from thesupport,

a. the carrier frame, support and nozzles constitut ing an immersibleunit for free movement into and out of the bath tub,

6. a pumping means for circulating the bath liquid from the bath tub tothe nozzles, the pumping means being stationarily mounted outside thebath tub,

7. flexible hoses connecting respective ones of the nozzles to thepumping means for delivering the bath liquid thereto and producing thejets of liquid, the flexible hoses being arranged to permit the freemovement of the immersible unit, and

8. control valve means arranged between the nozzles and the pumpingmeans to control the flow of the liquid to the nozzles.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein groups of the nozzles are arrangedfor the massage treatment of separate body parts of the patient to betreated by said groups, and further comprising a main for each of saidgroups, the main being connected to the control valve and pumping means,and a corresponding group of branch hoses connecting the main to thenozzles of the group.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible support is sub-dividedinto a plurality of elongated portions forming an integral supportsurface for the patient, each elongated support portion corresponding toa body part of the patient for the support thereof, and the carrierframe comprises a pair of elongated beams and further comprising aplurality of pairs of carrier elements pivoted to a respective one ofthe carrier frame beams and each pair of carrier elements mounting a respective one of the elongated support portions for angular adjustment ofthe support portions in respect of each other.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the carrier elements are leverspivotal in substantially vertical planes extending parallel to theelongated carrier frame beams inside the carrier frame, pivots extendingperpendicularly to the vertical planes and mounting the levers on theelongated beams intermediate their ends, and further comprising hangersfreely pivotally mounted on each of the lever ends for swinging insubstantially vertical planes parallel to, and inwardly spaced from, theplanes wherein the levers are pivotal. cross bars interconnectingrespective pairs of the hangers for common pivotal movement of each pairof hangers, the length of the cross bars corresponding to the width ofthe flexible support, the longitudinal edges of the support beingdetachably mounted on the hangers for longitudinal movement of thesupport edges in respect of the hangers and the hangers keeping theflexible support under transverse tension when the longitudinal supportedges are mounted on the hangers.

S. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising guide means arranged onthe hangers and extending along the longitudinal support edges, and aplurality of connecting members mounted on the guide means for movementthere-along, the connecting members detachably mounting the longitudinalsupport edges on the hangers under transverse tension.

6. The apparatus of claim 4. further comprising an adjustable foot restmounted on one of the hangers adjacent one end of the c .ter frame.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible support is sub-dividedinto a plurality of elongated portions forming an integral supportsurface for the patient. each elongated support portion corresponding toa body part of the patient for the support thereof, the carrier framecomprises a pair of elongated beams, and further comprising a pluralityof pairs of levers pivoted to a respective one of the carrier framebeams intermediate their ends for pivoting in substantially verticalplanes extending parallel to the elongated carrier frame beams insidethe carrier frame. hangers freely pivotally mounted on each of the leverends for swinging in substantially vertical planes parallel to, andinwardly spaced from, the planes wherein the levers pivot, tubular crossbars interconnecting respective pairs of the hangers for common pivotalmovements of each pair of hangers, the length of the cross harscorresponding to the width of the flexible support. the longitudinaledges of the support being detachably mounted on the hangers forlongitudinal movement of the support edges in respect of the hangers andthe hangers keeping the flexible support under transverse tension whenthe longitudinal support edges are mounted on the hangers, pivoting ofthe levers and hangers angularly adjusting the elongated supportportions in respect of each other, and groups of the nozzles beingarranged for massage treatment of separate body parts of the patient tobe treated by said groups of nozzles, the tubular cross bars beingsub-divided into liquid distributing chambers, a main hose connectingthe control valve and pumping means to each of the distributingchambers, and branch hoses connecting each distributing chamber to arespective group of nozzles.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible connecting means forsuspending the nozzles from the support comprises a flexible carrier matdefining a multiplicity of openings for replaceably receiving respectiveones of the nozzles in a selected array, the carrier mat being suspendedfrom the flexible support at a distance therefrom and being of acorrosion-resistant synthetic resin.

9. The apparatus of claim I, wherein the pumping means comprises anintake chamber and an output, and further comprising a first intakeconduit extending from the bath tub into the intake chamber fordelivering bath liquid thereto, a source of a gas. a second intakeconduit connecting the gas source to the intake chamber, a closablecheck valve in the second intake, a gas and bath liquid mixture beingproduced in the intake chamber upon opening of the check valve, and theoutput of the pumping means being connected to the control valve means.

1. An apparatus for massage treatment of a patient immersed in bathliquid, comprising the combination of
 1. a bath tub containing the bathliquid,
 2. a carrier frame freely movable into and out of the bath tub,3. a flexible, wide-meshed support for the patient mounted on thecarrier frame,
 4. a plurality of nozzles for producing jets of liquidspaced from each other and below the support, a. the jets being impingedupon the patient through openings in the support,
 5. flexible connectingmeans for suspending the nozzles from the support, a. the carrier frame,support and nozzles constituting an immersible unit for free movementinto and out of the bath tub,
 6. a pumping means for ciRculating thebath liquid from the bath tub to the nozzles, the pumping means beingstationarily mounted outside the bath tub,
 7. flexible hoses connectingrespective ones of the nozzles to the pumping means for delivering thebath liquid thereto and producing the jets of liquid, the flexible hosesbeing arranged to permit the free movement of the immersible unit, and8. control valve means arranged between the nozzles and the pumpingmeans to control the flow of the liquid to the nozzles.
 2. a carrierframe freely movable into and out of the bath tub,
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein groups of the nozzles are arranged for the massagetreatment of separate body parts of the patient to be treated by saidgroups, and further comprising a main for each of said groups, the mainbeing connected to the control valve and pumping means, and acorresponding group of branch hoses connecting the main to the nozzlesof the group.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible supportis sub-divided into a plurality of elongated portions forming anintegral support surface for the patient, each elongated support portioncorresponding to a body part of the patient for the support thereof, andthe carrier frame comprises a pair of elongated beams and furthercomprising a plurality of pairs of carrier elements pivoted to arespective one of the carrier frame beams and each pair of carrierelements mounting a respective one of the elongated support portions forangular adjustment of the support portions in respect of each other. 3.a flexible, wide-meshed support for the patient mounted on the carrierframe,
 4. a plurality of nozzles for producing jets of liquid spacedfrom each other and below the support, a. the jets being impinged uponthe patient through openings in the support,
 4. The apparatus of claim3, wherein the carrier elements are levers pivotal in substantiallyvertical planes extending parallel to the elongated carrier frame beamsinside the carrier frame, pivots extending perpendicularly to thevertical planes and mounting the levers on the elongated beamsintermediate their ends, and further comprising hangers freely pivotallymounted on each of the lever ends for swinging in substantially verticalplanes parallel to, and inwardly spaced from, the planes wherein thelevers are pivotal, cross bars interconnecting respective pairs of thehangers for common pivotal movement of each pair of hangers, the lengthof the cross bars corresponding to the width of the flexible support,the longitudinal edges of the support being detachably mounted on thehangers for longitudinal movement of the support edges in respect of thehangers and the hangers keeping the flexible support under transversetension when the longitudinal support edges are mounted on the hangers.5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising guide means arranged onthe hangers and extending along the longitudinal support edges, and aplurality of connecting members mounted on the guide means for movementtherealong, the connecting members detachably mounting the longitudinalsupport edges on the hangers under transverse tension.
 5. flexibleconnecting means for suspending the nozzles from the support, a. thecarrier frame, support and nozzles constituting an immersible unit forfree movement into and out of the bath tub,
 6. a pumping means forciRculating the bath liquid from the bath tub to the nozzles, thepumping means being stationarily mounted outside the bath tub,
 6. Theapparatus of claim 4, further comprising an adjustable foot rest mountedon one of the hangers adjacent one end of the carrier frame.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the flexible support is sub-divided into aplurality of elongated portions forming an integral support surface forthe patient, each elongated support portion corresponding to a body partof the patient for the support thereof, the carrier frame comprises apair of elongated beams, and further comprising a plurality of pairs oflevers pivoted to a respective one of the carrier frame beamsintermediate their ends for pivoting in substantially vertical planesextending parallel to the elongated carrier frame beams inside thecarrier frame, hangers freely pivotally mounted on each of the leverends for swinging in substantially vertical planes parallel to, andinwardly spaced from, the planes wherein the levers pivot, tubular crossbars interconnecting respective pairs of the hangers for common pivotalmovements of each pair of hangers, the length of the cross barscorresponding to the width of the flexible support, the longitudinaledges of the support being detachably mounted on the hangers forlongitudinal movement of the support edges in respect of the hangers andthe hangers keeping the flexible support under transverse tension whenthe longitudinal support edges are mounted on the hangers, pivoting ofthe levers and hangers angularly adjusting the elongated supportportions in respect of each other, and groups of the nozzles beingarranged for massage treatment of separate body parts of the patient tobe treated by said groups of nozzles, the tubular cross bars beingsub-divided into liquid distributing chambers, a main hose connectingthe control valve and pumping means to each of the distributingchambers, and branch hoses connecting each distributing chamber to arespective group of nozzles.
 7. flexible hoses connecting respectiveones of the nozzles to the pumping means for delivering the bath liquidthereto and producing the jets of liquid, the flexible hoses beingarranged to permit the free movement of the immersible unit, and 8.control valve means arranged between the nozzles and the pumping meansto control the flow of the liquid to the nozzles.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the flexible connecting means for suspending thenozzles from the support comprises a flexible carrier mat defining amultiplicity of openings for replaceably receiving respective ones ofthe nozzles in a selected array, the carrier mat being suspended fromthe flexible support at a distance therefrom and being of acorrosion-resistant synthetic resin.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the pumping means comprises an intake chamber and an output, andfurther comprising a first intake conduit extending from the bath tubinto the intake chamber for delivering bath liquid thereto, a source ofa gas, a second intake conduit connecting the gas source to the intakechamber, a closable check valve in the second intake, a gas and bathliquid mixture being produced in the intake chamber upon opening of thecheck valve, and the output of the pumping means being connected to thecontrol valve means.